Demon Slayer Episode 5

My Own Steel

This week’s episode of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba picks up from where the previous episode left off, with the death of the giant demon at the hands of Tanjirou. And, although he was already killed in the last episode, this episode we learn even more about him, and demons in general, from his death.

We already knew that he had a grudge against Sakonji Urokodaki for capturing him, but in a flashback we were shown exactly how this happened. And, what I think the demon’s grudge was actually about is that Sakonji captured him rather than killing him, not just that he captured him.

When the demon was first turned, he went on a rampage in his village and even ended up killing his older brother. While he had forgotten about this over the years, it’s revealed that this was something which had always been in the back of his mind.

After we see these flashbacks, it’s time to get back into the present and we continue to follow Tanjirou during the Final Selection. I was actually surprised by how short this arc was, considering we only got part of last episode and the beginning of this episode to cover it.

Basically, we just see Tanjirou kill a few more demons after failing to communicate with them, and then the exam ends. As for why he was trying to talk to the demons, it was because he was trying to ask them how he can revert his sister back into a human.

The Final Four

By the time the Final Selection ends, there are only four of the roughly 20 who were there at the start. I suppose some of those who didn’t make it to the end retired partway through the exam, but it seemed to be implied that they didn’t make it out alive.

So, other than Tanjirou, who else passed the test? We don’t know their names yet, so I’ll just be describing them by what we do know.

First up is the electric style boy from the OP who seems to be terrified of becoming a demon slayer. Next is the angry boy with the scar across his face who’s clearly going to be an antagonist at some point. And, finally there’s a girl who’s associated with butterflies.

The survivors of the Final Selection

Based on what we’ve seen of these characters from the OP, I’d say the electric boy is going to be one of Tanjirou’s allies, the angry boy is going to be an antagonist as previously stated, and the butterfly girl is going to be a supporting character who shows up occasionally. Maybe she’ll be a love interest?

However, while we’re shown there to be four survivors of the Final Selection, it’s later revealed that there’s actually a fifth. Who exactly this is has yet to be revealed, but my guess is that it’s the guy in the boar mask from the OP who seems to be an ally of Tanjirou and electric boy.

I don’t remember seeing him in the crowd of entrants before the exam, but he’s still my guess.

Demon Slayer Association

I kind of expected the seven days in the training grounds to just be the first portion of the Final Selection exam, but apparently that was the entire thing. And, after surviving, each of the entrants is considered a professional demon slayer.

But, being formally recognized as a demon slayer must come with some perks, right? Indeed it does. Demon slayers who are members of the association are given a talking crow, a fancy (probably) outfit, and a special sword known as a nichirin sword.

However, the crow is the only prize they receive up front. Each outfit must be specially made for those who pass the test, as do the swords. But, each new demon slayer does get to pick out the clump of ore which will then be used to forge his or her sword.

As far as we know there isn’t anything particularly special about any of these pieces of ore, but Tanjirou seems to believe he smelled one that was different from the others. I’m hoping this was just something like the ore “calling out to him” and doesn’t mean his sword is actually any better than anyone else’s.

And, during this closing ceremony of sorts, we learn that there are 10 ranks of demon slayers within the association. Starting from the top rank, they go as follows:

Kinoe

Kinoto

Hinoe

Hinoto

Tsuchinoe

Tsuchinoto

Kanoe

Kanoto

Mizunoe

Mizunoto

As you might expect, those who have just completed the Final Selection are considered the lowest ranked demon slayers, being Mizunoto. It wouldn’t be a good shounen battle series if it didn’t have a ranking system for us to easily identify who was stronger than who.

Nichirin Sword

When Tanjirou finally arrives back at Sakonji’s house from the Final Selection, he finds that Nezuko is awake once again. If you recall, she had been asleep for something like a year and a half before this point.

Sakonji explains this by essentially saying that Nezuko was hibernating in order to regain her strength rather than regaining it through the consumption of humans. While this doesn’t actually make sense from a biological standpoint, I guess I’ll allow it as an explanation.

It’s also explained that there are special kinds of demons which have unique powers, some of which Tanjirou will undoubtedly run into in the future, because shounen. However, the idea that Nezuko is one of these special demons is quickly cast aside.

Haganezuka

Two weeks after Tanjirou returns, a man in a clown mask named Haganezuka appears with his nichirin sword. There’s no reason to suspect that Haganezuka is a demon slayer himself, but he is one of the trusted blacksmiths who forges nichirin swords for the demon slayer association, and is familiar with Sakonji.

From him we learn that the nichirin swords are also known as color-changing swords due to their tendency to change color depending on the “aura” of their wielder. He also suspects that Tanjirou’s sword will turn red due to the materials used and Tanjirou’s reddish hair and eyes.

Unfortunately for Haganezuka, he doesn’t get to see a red sword because it turns black instead. I don’t know about you, but I think shounen protagonists using black swords is a bit of an overrated trope. It makes me think too much of Kirito from SAO, and I think even Asta from Black Clover uses one too.

Conclusion

At the very end of the episode Tanjirou receives his first official mission via his crow. Young girls have been mysteriously disappearing from the streets of a nearby town at night and a demon is suspected of taking them. It’s his job to investigate, and if necessary, slay the demon.

So, what did you think of this week’s episode of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba? Although I didn’t think it was the most exciting episode to watch, I did appreciate the sheer amount of information within it. Let me know what you thought in the comments, as well as who you think the fifth person to complete the Final Selection is.

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